William Daniel Young

William Daniel Young, who died July 1, 2019, his 83rd birthday, was a gentle man with movie-star looks and relentless curiosity who touched many with his warmth and deep intelligence. He was dearly loved and is sorely missed. Bill was born in Ferndale, Maryland, and graduated from Glen Burnie High School, where he starred in baseball. He immediately went to work at Bethlehem Steel’s Sparrows Point plant, then served in the U.S. Army, based in Korea. He was honorably discharged with the Gary Owen Award. On his return home in 1962, two things happened that would shape the rest of Bill’s life. He returned to Sparrows Point, where he would continue working until his retirement, 40-odd years later. And he met the love of his life, Joan Getz; after dating for three years, they married in 1965. Joan and Bill raised two children, Elizabeth and Brian, and family was always at the center of Bill’s universe. Grandsons Garrett and Jonah were added joys in his later life. Bill embraced the outdoors. He and Joan began taking Beth and Brian camping when they were very young, driving the family’s pop-up camper to the Catoctin Mountains and Assateague Island. He fished voraciously, evidenced by the large collection of rods in the basement. He golfed, crabbed, and biked. But perhaps his most enduring outdoors pursuit was the countless hours he spent wandering the woods, sometimes with family members, and almost always with one of a succession of family dogs. Bill was a lifelong learner with eclectic interests. He read newspapers religiously and was a keen student of politics. Library books littered his and Joan’s home in Catonsville: Steinbeck, Hemingway, Twain, and Stephen Crane (whose character Maggie inspired the name of a cherished golden retriever). He loved history, and spent many an afternoon exploring museums. But that wasn’t all: Something new was something to be explored. Bill taught himself photography (commandeering the laundry room for a darkroom) and videography. He painted. And he joined a group at the National Arboretum that studied Suiseki, a Japanese art form that involves viewing and arranging stones. Walks in the woods with Joan inevitably were interrupted by the appearance of an intriguing stone, which just as inevitably ended up in their back yard. There are a lot of stones there now. And yet with all of his interests, he still made time for others, always with a ready smile: willing to lend a hand, visit the sick, cheer on others, or share a beer. Above all, Bill was a kind, humble, and generous man with a powerful moral compass. He listened carefully to all, including the children in his life; and he took genuine interest in what he heard. He made everyone around him feel welcome. He leaves his beloved Joan and Elizabeth; his adored grandsons, Garrett and Jonah; brothers John and Joseph and sister Patricia; a large extended family; and many close friends. He was predeceased by his son Brian and by his brother George and his sister Jacqueline. A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Catonsville on September 28th at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bill’s honor to the Patapsco State Park Fund.